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Let's not be naive… warns Barroso

(BRUSSELS2) This was somewhat the meaning of certain elements of the speech on the “State of Europe” delivered yesterday (Thursday 9 November) in Berlin by the President of the European Commission.

The strengthened governance of the euro zone does not mean doing less abroad, on the contrary

José-Manuel Barroso naturally focused his speech on economic issues. But he also made a point of showing his attachment to a certain political Europe and... to European defence. " We need a Union of responsibility but also of solidarity. If we agree that we share a common destiny, then we belong (to the same) together. The strengthened governance of the euro zone must be a central pillar (...). But that should not detract from the importance of strengthening European integration in other areas, notably foreign affairs and the common security and defense policy. Europe can only count in the world if it is strong and actively united around its values ​​and interests. Because - he added - " Let's not be naive, without a political dimension, without a diplomatic dimension and also without the ability to project power, we will not be able to meet the challenges of today's and tomorrow's world. »

That the grumpy don't stop the others from moving forward

Then the president attacked head-on the grumpy and bad students. " The speed of the European Union, and a fortiori of the euro zone, cannot be the speed of the slowest or most reluctant of its members. It exists and it must exist - and indeed there is! - backup devices for those who do not want to go ahead. But it's one thing not to move forward, and quite another to hold others back.. And tack! A statement that could very well be tackled in defense policy and clearly attacks the Mister No of the European cause, starting with the first of them: the United Kingdom.

A Stone in Sarkozy's Garden, Van Rompuy and Merkel: intergovernmental cooperation does not work

And on his way, Barroso continued indulging in a (strong) criticism of “intergovernmental cooperation” which has not proven its effectiveness. Intergovernmental cooperation defended in a way by France (and also Germany), but also by the President of the Council, Herman Van Rompuy. " Europe must not go backwards with some kind of development that would only take place through intergovernmental cooperation alone. This would take us back to the 19th century (...) when peace and prosperity were supposed to be guaranteed through a precarious balance between a limited number of powers - the great powers, medium powers, small powers in Europe. We know very well that this kind of checks and balances does not work. »

Full speech: B2 docs

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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